Msgr. Pope on Understanding Dry and Difficult Prayer

"Most who seek the Lord in prayer experience times of dryness and difficulty, times in which it seems to us that the Lord hides His face. We pray; we call out; we seek Him; but He doesn't seem to answer; it almost seems as if He hides from us.

"A well-known atheist was once asked what he would say to God if he were to discover upon his death that God exists. He replied simply, 'I would ask, 'Why did you hide?'' Many of us who do believe might respond, 'He doesn't hide! All creation shouts His presence, shouts, 'I was designed!'' But most believers can sympathize to some extent and say that while we have once experienced God's presence profoundly, there are also times in which we yearn for but cannot find Him, times in which He seems to hide from us.

"So, then, it remains a legitimate concern, even among believers, that at times God mysteriously hides His face. Indeed the Psalms, inspired by God Himself, state clearly, Why do you sleep, O Lord? Awake, do not reject us forever. Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and our oppression? For our soul has sunk down into the dust; Our body cleaves to the earth (Ps 44:23-25).

Yes, the conundrum of God hiding His face, and the despair we experience because of it, are constant themes in the spiritual life. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the challenges being faced by Christians who experience dryness, difficulty, and distraction in prayer.

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: How to Understand Dry and Difficult Prayer (28 DEC 15)